Keeping our eyes upon Jesus

Matthew 14:27-31

"But straightway Jesus spoke unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is i; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me to come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come.

And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boiserous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

**During the time of Jesus walking upon the earth, he had a time teaching His disciples about the basics of being a true believer; the most notable attributes to train with was Trust and Faith, which they struggled because of fear.

This is one of the occurrences that took place, where Jesus had used as an example. Because of fear, there would be a road block, when trying to accomplish things in life.

 When we have the Lord with us why should we fear, why do we doubt? We need to look at all aspects of our life to make sure everything is lined up where it should be.

 1. Are we truly born again and washed in the blood of Jesus?

 2. Do we read the Word of God and apply it in our life?

 3. Are we praying enough?

 We need to cover all these areas in our life and make sure there is nothing getting in the way of our relationship with Jesus. Once we knock down these burdens/road blocks down, then we can move forward and build ourselves higher with the Lord. Believe me when i say, that there will be troubles that will occur in our life and we will have to know how to face them. Will we get angry, depressed and give up or will we face it full on with our mighty weapon at hand; Jesus! You decide! **

1. We must be born again and washed in the blood of Jesus in order for us to be in a relationship with Him and to go to heaven!

John 3:3

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, i say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

*We are renewed, and not the same as we once were; a sinner. That being said, it means not going back to those things that has kept us bound in the world, we are set free to follow Christ and live by the Word of God.*

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

*We must also keep ourselves from things that will bring back the old person and cause us to sin.*

2 Thessalonians 5:22

"Abstain from all appearance of evil."

2. Do we read the Word of God and apply it in our life?

Romans 10:17

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."

*Did you know that Faith is produced by reading the Word of God? Just as we receive faith by hearing the Word of God, that faith we received will help us abide in the Word of God and to overcome the trials that come our way. So if you don't read the Word of God, you will lack in faith, and anything that comes at us will knock us down. Just like the parable of the house built upon the sand (world) instead of the rock (Jesus). *

Matthew 7:24-27

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, i will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came,and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended,and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

Last but certainly not least...

3. Are we praying enough?

* Did you know you are to pray every single day to the Lord? In the word we are told to never cease in prayer!*

2 Thessalonians 5:17

"Pray without ceasing."

*And when praying, talk to Jesus as if you are talking to a friend, because He loves us very much and wants to hear from us. Let us not be like the pharisees that prayed out publicly among the people just to be heard, because at the end of the day, everything that we do must be in the effort of our heart. If we pray in a repeative manner with no love, it will just hit the ceiling and not go any further.*

Matthew 6:5

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily i say unto you, They have their reward."

*We must pray with all of our heart, mind and soul unto the Lord; pour our heart out to Him! Where others don't always have time to hear your problems and concerns, God is there all of the time waiting for your cry! He knows what we need before we ask Him, He is waiting for us to turn to Him in need!*

Matthew 6:8

"Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."

*Take these notes in consideration as to if you are truly in a committed and trusting relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord. Seek for Wisdom when things don’t make sense, praise Him through the blessings, stand strong in His Word when things get tough and you need a helping hand, focus on Him when storms form all around you, for He is our compass to help lead the way! *

----If you are still hungry for the Word of God, come visit The Full Gospel Holiness Church’s website @

http://www.fghconline.com

Thank you and May God Bless You!!!!

A Truly Happy Soul

Psalm 34:8-14

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”

*We must trust in the Lord’s way and fear Him who has the power to give life and take it away. As we learn to know the Lord, we shall truly fear him, but in a loving and respectful manner. As we seek Him in all that we do and not seek the desires of the world, we will not be empty but fully content. Depart from evil, seek peace and pursue to live for Him faithfully. *

Psalms 1:1-6

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

*Those that are righteous are recognized and cherished by the Lord as truly happy and blessed. The righteous delight in the word of God and live by it faithfully. To those who are wicked in this world and reject the truth are the ones that will suffer in the end come judgement time. The righteous will stand strong and not be moved by all that is around them, as they stay firm in the word of God.*

Proverbs 9:10

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

*It is one thing for a person to say that they know the Lord and go to church, but it is another, for one to actually live by that statement. You must READ the word of God with full devotion and LIVE by what is being given to us as instructions to a successful spiritual relationship with Jesus. As we are STRONG and FAITHFUL followers, we show it through our actions of OBEDIENCE for HIM!*

*If you are still hungry for the word of God, come visit The Full Gospel Holiness Church’s website @

http://www.fghconline.com

Receiving the Light!

John 1:9-13

“That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own,and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

I. MANY DID NOT RECEIVE THE LIGHT

A. WHO DID NOT RECEIVE THE LIGHT...

1. The world in general

 *John 1:9-10*

b. Even though the world was made through Him! 
 John 1:3
"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

 -He had come to His own people, Israel

 Deuteronomy 7:6

“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”

B. WHY THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THE LIGHT...

1. They did not know Him

 John 1:10

“He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.”

a. Even His own brothers at first, though they did after His

resurrection

 John 7:5

“For neither did his brethren believe in him.”

 b. Familiarity often breeds contempt:  "A prophet has no honor

in his own country..."

 John 4:44

“For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.”

 Some loved darkness more than light

 John 3:19-20

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

 [For similar reasons today, many people do not receive Jesus.  Yet some

did...]

II. SOME RECEIVED THE LIGHT

A. THE BENEFITS OF RECEIVING THE LIGHT...

1. The right to become children of God

 John 1:12

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

 Making us heirs of God and joints heirs with Christ

 Romans 8:14-17

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

2. The privilege of being born of God

 John 1:13

“Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

B. THE MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE LIGHT...

1. To receive Christ, we must believe in His name

John 1:12

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

1) We become children of God through faith, yes - but how?

2) By putting Christ on when we are baptized into Christ!

b. Jesus becomes the author of our salvation when we obey Him

 Hebrews 5:9

“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”

2) Thereby born again of both water and the Spirit

 John 3:5

“Jesus answered, verily verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

CONCLUSION

1. Jesus is the "True Light" who gives light to every man...

a. Bringing grace and truth to those in sin and error

a. Providing the way of salvation through His blood

2. How sad that there are many in the world...

a. Who do not know Him

b. Who have not received Him

-- Who spend their lives stumbling in the darkness

3. But if you are willing to believe in His name...

a. You have the right to become a child of God!

b. You can be born of God!

-- Provided your faith is an obedient faith, willing to abide in the

doctrine of Christ

*If you are still hungry for the Word of God, visit  The Full Gospel Holiness Church's website at 

http://www.fghconline.com 

How well do you hope?

 "How Well Do You Hope...?”

a. From the Greek, elpis, which means "favorable and confident

expectation"

b. A popular definition:  desire plus expectation of the unseen

Romans 8:24-25

“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

[Hope is an important aspect of what it means to be a Christian

 1Corinthians 13:13

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

  The degree of hope one has reveals much about the

state of their spiritual wellness...]

I. DEGREES OF HOPE

A. THOSE WITH NO HOPE...

1. Such as the Gentiles without God

 Ephesians 2:12

“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”

2. Who sorrow greatly over the loss of loved ones

 1Thessalonians 4:13

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”

-- Which describes many in the world today

B. THOSE WITH LIVING HOPE...

1. Such as those in Christ

1Peter 1:3-5

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

2. Who have been given good hope by grace

 2Thessalonians 2:16

“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,”

3. Enabling them to rejoice in hope

 Romans 12:12

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

-- Which ought to describe every Christian today

C. THOSE WITH LITTLE HOPE...

1. Who may actually have reason to hope

2. But rarely think about their hope

3. Because they are weighed down with worldliness and worldly

cares

 Luke 21:34

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.”

-- Which sadly describes many Christians today

[Yet just as faith and love are critical to our spiritual well-being, so

also is our hope...]

II. IMPORTANCE OF HOPE

A. FOR MOTIVATION...

1. We have the hope of one day being like Jesus

 1John 3:2

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

2. This hope serves to motivate one to purify oneself

 1John 3:3

“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

-- Without a vibrant hope, we have little or no motivation to grow

spiritually

B. FOR STRENGTH...

1. Hope produces patience (endurance)

 1Thessalonians 1:3

“Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;”

2. Hope leads to eagerly waiting for that which is come  

-- Without a vibrant hope, we have little or no strength to

persevere to the end

C. FOR JOY...

1. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God

 Romans 5:2

“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

2. Such joyful hope leads to patience in tribulation

Romans 12:12

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”

-- Without a vibrant hope, our Christian lives are joyless,

sometimes filled with despair

[Since hope is so important to our spiritual well-being, what can we do

to increase our hope...?]

III. INCREASING OUR HOPE

A. BY READING THE SCRIPTURES...

1. The Scriptures are intended to produce hope

 Romans 15:4

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

-- Just as faith comes by the Word of God, so hope comes by the

Word of God!

B. BY FOCUSING ON THE GRACE TO COME...

1. Resting our hope fully on the grace to come when Jesus returns

- 1Peter 1:13

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

2. What is the grace to be brought to us when He comes?

a. The resurrection from the dead

1Corinthians 15:50-58

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

b. The revealing of our glory together with Christ

 Colossians 3:4

“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

c. The heavenly city whose builder is God

 Hebrews 11:10

“For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

Hebrews 11:16

“But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherewith God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

d. Which includes a new heavens and new earth

 2Peter 3:13-14

“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

e. With access to the water of life and tree of life in the

presence of God

 Revelation 22:1-5

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

-- Rest our hope fully on the grace to come by contemplating it

often!

**If you would like to give your heart to Jesus today, repeat these words below:

'Dear Heavenly Father,i come to in the name of Jesus; Forgive me a sinner and wash me in your precious blood. Make this heart of stone to be made flesh, so that your word may be sown in it. Any addictions that i may have, remove them now in Jesus name! I've accepted Jesus Christ as my savior and believe that He died and rose from the dead! And from this day forward, i commit my life to you and seek for guidance and understanding in your word, as i walk in your path of righteousness, In Jesus name i pray, AMEN!!!'

If you have recited these words and meant them in your heart, you are saved and if the Lord would come today, you will be ready to go to Heaven!! I will keep you all in prayer, to continue to walk in the ways of Jesus Christ our Lord. READ, PRAY, SEEK and TRUST in Him and you will overcome this wicked world! **

I have also provided a link to the Full Gospel Holiness Church below, where you will find sermons from the word of God (no comprising to sin) but the Full truth to the Word of God! You can also view our contact information to email us or call us for prayer. May God bless you!

http://www.fghconline.com/